Portable carrying device with retractable strap

ABSTRACT

The invention is directed to a portable carrying device that includes a housing, an elongated flexible strap extendable from the housing, and at least one rigid support arm attached to the housing and configured for supporting an article to be carried. The portable carrying device can include a coupler disposed on a first end of the elongated flexible strap and a mating structure disposed on a portion of the housing for releasably securing the coupler. The rigid support arm can be movable from a first position in which the rigid support arm is compactly stored relative to the housing, to a second position in which the rigid support arm is at least partially extended away from the housing. The housing can have at least one recess for receiving the rigid support arm and the rigid support arm can have a shape corresponding to the recess.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

This invention relates generally to the field of portable carryingdevices, and more particularly, to compactable portable carryingdevices.

2. Description of the Related Art

Individuals commonly need to carry a variety of objects; however, thereis a limit to how many objects that can be comfortably grasped with anindividual's hands. To overcome this limit, many devices have beenconstructed to increase the number of objects that an individual cancarry. Suitcases have been designed for orderly storing multiple items.However, suitcases are usually bulky and not convenient for toting alongon a daily basis. As another example, backpacks allow an individual tostore multiple items on the individual's back and leave the hands freefor grasping other items. While back packs offer one solution, they alsocreate another problem similar to other attempted solutions. Theindividual must carry the bulky backpack prior to use, and similar tosuitcases, backpacks may not be convenient for toting along on a dailybasis. Additionally, backpacks of any useful size cannot easily bestored as most backpacks are not configured to fold into a compact unit.

Traditional brown paper bags allow shoppers to carry multiple items,from a grocery store for example, without having to hold each itemindividually with the shopper's hands. Additionally, brown paper bagsare easily folded into a compact state that allows easy storage. Whilebrown paper bags can be easily stored and can ease the burden ofcarrying multiple items, a common disadvantage of brown paper bags isthat they require a shopper to use both hands and arms to securelysupport the brown paper bag.

An improvement over the traditional brown paper bag is a plastic bagwith integrated handles. Such plastic bags allow individuals tocomfortably carry multiple items within the bag by using only the handto grasp the handles. Plastic bags are either easily stored or simplythrown away. Nevertheless, plastic bags with handles still havelimitations. For example, while a lightweight plastic bag can be easy tocarry by hand, carrying a heavy plastic bag by hand can be uncomfortableand even painful. The weight of the bag can cause the bag's handles toapply a significant amount of pressure to the individual's hand. Thisproblem is greatly exacerbated when the individual is attempting tocarry multiple bags of any significant weight. The discomfort and/orpain caused by the weight of the bags only increases with the amount oftime the bags must be carried. Thus, using a plastic bag to carry aheavy weight over a long period of time is not a viable option.

Additionally, while carrying heavy bags by hand may cause discomfort orpain to some individuals, other individuals simply do not have thestrength to carry items by hand. For instance, many elder individualshave a decreased strength and cannot carry items that are a routine partof the life, such as shopping or grocery store bags. Further, someindividuals cannot carry certain items because of a handicap ordeformity. Nevertheless, such individuals in particular, need to be ableto carry such items in order to remain independent from constant help.Thus, a portable device that is easily compacted for storage and thatcan be used to carry multiple items is desired.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a portable carrying deviceincluding a housing, an elongated flexible strap extendable from thehousing, and one or more rigid support arms attached to the housing andconfigured for supporting an article to be carried. The portablecarrying device can further include a coupler disposed on a first end ofthe elongated flexible strap and a mating structure disposed on aportion of the housing for releasably securing the coupler.

In one embodiment, a second end of the elongated flexible strap can besecured within the housing and the rigid support arm can be movablyattached to the housing. The rigid support arm can be movable from afirst position in which the rigid support arm is compactly storedrelative to the housing, to a second position in which the rigid supportarm is at least partially extended away from the housing. The rigidsupport arm can be pivotally mounted to the housing or can be slidablymounted to the housing. The housing can have one or more recesses forreceiving the rigid support arm and the rigid support arm can have ashape corresponding to the recess. Additionally, one or more of theouter surfaces of the rigid support arm can be substantially continuouswith a housing outer surface when the rigid support arm is disposedwithin the recess. Thus, the rigid support arm and the housing can forma combined outer surface that is substantially free of projections.

In one embodiment, a second end of the elongated flexible strap can besecured to a retractor disposed within the housing. Further, a multitudeof securing devices can be disposed along a length of the elongatedflexible strap. The securing devices can be rigid hook members or caninclude a flexible strap material where at least a portion of the strapmaterial is attached to the elongated flexible strap with a hook andloop fastener. Additionally, the rigid support arm can be rotatablymounted to the housing about a first axis of rotation and can have oneor more clamping members configured for clamping an article to the rigidsupport arm. The clamping member can be pivotable about a second axishaving an orientation different from the first axis. The rigid supportarm can be rotatably coupled to a ratchet mechanism and the clampingmember can be pivotally coupled to a ratchet mechanism.

In one embodiment, the one or more rigid support arms can be removedfrom the housing. Additionally, the invention can include one or morerigid support arm securing members and a belt clip. The elongatedflexible strap can include a cushioning member where the cushioningmember can be configured for removably attaching to the rigid supportarm. Additionally, an outer surface of at least a first one of the rigidsupport arms can form a continuous surface with at least a second one ofthe rigid support arms where the outer surface is substantially free ofprojections when the rigid support arms are in a compact position.

In another embodiment, a portable carrying device can include a housing,and an elongated flexible strap retractably extendable from within thehousing, a coupler disposed on a first end of the elongated flexiblestrap, a mating structure disposed on a portion of the housing forreleasably securing the coupler, and one or more rigid support armsmovably attached to the housing and configured for supporting an articleto be carried.

In still another embodiment, the portable carrying device can include ahousing, an elongated flexible strap retractably extendable from withinthe housing, a coupler disposed on a first end of the elongated flexiblestrap, a mating structure disposed on a portion of the housing forreleasably securing the coupler, and one or more rigid support armsmovably attached to the housing and configured for supporting an articleto be carried. The rigid support arm can be movable from a firstposition in which the rigid support arm is compactly stored relative tothe housing, to a second position in which the rigid support arm is atleast partially extended away from the housing for receiving an articleto be carried.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

There are presently shown in the drawings embodiments which arepresently preferred, it being understood, however, that the invention isnot limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a portablecarrying device that is useful for understanding the inventivearrangements.

FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the portable carrying device in FIG. 1Ain which the support arms are retracted.

FIG. 1C is a perspective view of the portable carrying device in FIG. 1Bshowing another side of the portable carrying device.

FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view of the portable carrying device inFIG. 1B taken along lines 2-A, with a retractor shown in a lockedconfiguration.

FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view of the portable carrying device inFIG. 1B taken along lines 2-A, with a retractor shown in an unlockedconfiguration.

FIG. 3A is a drawing that is useful for understanding how the portablecarrying device in FIG. 1A is used.

FIG. 3B is a drawing that is useful for understanding one option ofstoring the portable carrying device in FIG. 1A when not in use.

FIG. 4A is an enlarged perspective view of a strap that can be used withthe portable carrying device in FIG. 1A.

FIG. 4B is an enlarged perspective view showing an alternativeembodiment of a strap that can be used with the portable carrying devicein FIG. 1A.

FIG. 4C is a drawing that is useful for understanding how the strap inFIG. 4A can be used in conjunction with the portable carrying device inFIG. 1A.

FIG. 5A is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a portablecarrying device shown in a compact arrangement.

FIG. 5B is a perspective view of the portable carrying device of FIG. 5Ashown in an extended arrangement.

FIG. 6A is an alternative embodiment of a portable carrying device inaccordance with the inventive arrangements.

FIG. 6B is an alternative embodiment of the portable carrying deviceshown in FIG. 6A.

FIG. 7A is an enlarged perspective view showing an alternativeembodiment of a rigid support member in accordance with the inventivearrangements.

FIG. 7B is an enlarged perspective view that shows the rigid supportmember of FIG. 7A with a clamping member in a clamped position.

FIG. 7C is a cross-sectional view of the rigid support member in FIG. 7Btaken along line 7C-7C.

FIG. 8A is an alternative embodiment of a portable carrying device shownin a compact arrangement.

FIG. 8B is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 8A shown in anextended arrangement.

FIG. 8C is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 8B from the perspectiveof line 8C-8C.

FIG. 9A is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a portablecarrying device shown in an extended arrangement.

FIG. 9B is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 9A shown in acompact arrangement.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns a portable carrying device that can beused to carry multiple objects. In particular, the portable carryingdevice can be used for carrying multiple bags with handles.Advantageously, the portable carrying device can be used to carrymultiple objects while leaving the user's hands free for other tasks.Additionally, the portable carrying device can transform to differentconfigurations for use and for easy storage.

Referring to FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C, one embodiment of the portablecarrying device 100 is illustrated. The portable carrying device 100includes a housing 105 and an elongated flexible strap 110 which isextendable from the housing 105. The strap 110 can include cushioningmember 122 that is slidably movable along the length of the strap 110.The portable carrying device 100 also includes one or more rigid supportarms 115 attached to the housing and configured for supporting anarticle to be carried. The housing 105 provides a base structure forconnecting the portions of the portable carrying device 100. Althoughthe housing 105 is shown in FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C as being substantiallyrectangular, one skilled in the art will recognize that the shape of thehousing 105 is not limited. The shape can include other shapes, such asspherical, oval, and oblong and can even mimic the shape of a particularobject, such as a cartoon character where the character's arms functionas the rigid support arms 115. Additionally, the housing 105 and therigid support arms 115 can be constructed of a hard plastic, metal,ceramic, or any other suitable material.

The strap 110 can be disposed within the housing 105 and can be adjustedin length to be customized for the size and shape of a particular user.For example, the strap 110 can be connected to a lockable retractorlocated with housing 105. The strap 110 can be constructed of anyflexible material suitable for supporting objects such as a webbedmaterial, neoprene, leather, and the like. The strap 110 includes acoupler 120 disposed on a first end of the strap 110 and a second end(not shown) secured within the housing 105. The coupler 120 can be usedto releasably secure the first end of the strap 110 to a matingstructure 125 disposed on a portion of the housing 105. The coupler 120and mating structure 125 depicted in FIG. 1A are simply a hook and arecess for receiving the hook that can be constructed of a hard plastic,metal or ceramic. Nevertheless, FIG. 1A illustrates only one embodimentof a suitable combination for securing the strap 110 to the housing 105.One skilled in the art can recognize that a variety of a combinations ofa coupler 120 and a mating structure 125 can be suitably used. Anon-exhaustive list of a coupler 120 and mating structure 125 includes ahook and loop fastener, a clip and buckle, hook and swivel, and thelike.

The rigid support arms 115 can be movably attached to the housing 105 toallow the portable carrying device 100 to be transformed to a variety ofconfigurations. For example, the rigid support arms 115 can be pivotallymounted to the housing 105 as shown in FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C using anysuitable pivot coupling 112, such as hinge or an axel, to allow forsmooth transitions between the first position and the second position.Nevertheless, those skilled in the art will appreciate that otherconfigurations are also possible and the invention is not limited inthis regard.

FIG. 1B depicts the rigid support arms 115 in a first position in whichthe rigid support arms are compactly stored relative to the housing 105.Preferably, the housing 105 can have one or more recesses 130 forreceiving the rigid support arms 115. In the embodiment shown in FIGS.1A, 1B and 1C, the rigid support arms 115 can each have a shapecorresponding to the shape of the recess 130, thereby allowing the rigidsupport arms 115 to be compactly stored relative to the housing 105 in afirst position.

In one embodiment as shown in FIG. 1B, the outer surface 135 of therigid support arm 115 can be substantially continuous with the housingouter surface 140 when the rigid support arm is disposed within recess130. In this compacted first position, the rigid support arms 115 andthe housing 105 form a combined outer surface that is substantially freeof projections. A portable carrying device 100 in a compacted firstposition that has a combined outer surface substantially free ofprojections is advantageously configured for storage in a purse, glovebox, pocket, or other convenient location. Still, other arrangements ofthe invention can include an outer surface that has one or moreprojections and such arrangements are also within the scope of theinvention.

As illustrated in FIG. 1A, the rigid support arms 115 can be moved to asecond position in which the rigid support arms 115 are at leastpartially extended away from the housing 105. In FIG. 1A, the rigidsupport arms 115 are extended approximately 90° from their compactedfirst position shown in FIG. 1B. Nevertheless, the invention is notlimited in this regard. For example, the rigid support arms 115 andcoupling 112 can be designed to pivot 30°, 45°, 60°, 75°, 90°, 105°, orany other suitable angle, without limitation. Moving the rigid supportarms 115 from the first position of FIG. 1B to the second position ofFIG. 1A transforms the portable carrying device 100 from a compactdevice 100 to portable carrying device 100 ready to support multipleobjects.

Turning to FIG. 1C, the portable carrying device 100 can include an beltclip 148 for removably attaching the portable carrying device 100 to abelt or other similar structure. The invention is not limited to a beltclip 148 as any suitable structure, such as a carabiner, loop and hookfastener, and the like, can be used for removably attaching the portablecarrying device to a belt, a strap, or other similar object.Additionally, it should be noted the belt clip 148 is not necessary forstoring the portable carrying device 100 when not in use, as theportable carrying device 100 is preferably sized to fit in a purse,glove box, and even a pocket.

Additionally, FIG. 1C shows the cushioning member 122 secured to therigid support arm 115. Preferably, the cushioning member 122 can besecured to the rigid support member 115 via hook and loop fasteners 124,shown on the rigid support arm 115 in FIG. 1B. Nevertheless, theinvention is not limited in this regard and the cushioning member 122can be secured to the rigid support arm 115 via any suitable structureand can also be secured to the housing 105. Securing the cushioningmember 122 to the rigid support arm 115 can prevent a portion of thestrap 110 from remaining free and catching on other objects and can alsoprevent the rigid support arm 115 from inadvertently extending.Furthermore, it should be noted that the invention is not limited tosecuring the strap 110 in this regard as the strap 110 can be retractedwithin the housing 105 so that the coupler 120 is flush with the surfaceof the housing 105.

Referring now to FIGS. 2A and 2B, the portable carrying device 100 canalso include a retractor 145 for regulating the length of the strap 110that is outside of the housing 105. The retractor 145 can include teeth165, rotating structure 150, biasing member 155, and a spool (notshown). Similar to housing 105 and the rigid support arms 115, theretractor and its components can be constructed of any suitablematerial, such as hard plastic, metal, ceramic, and the like.

While any suitable retractor 145 can be used, the retractor 145illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B is arranged to have the strap 110 wrappedaround and secured to the spool. The spool is mounted to at least onerotating structure 150 having a suitable biasing member 155, such as aspiral spring, that applies a torque to the rotating structure 150. Thebiasing member 155 can be arranged so that it produces a torque forrotating the spool to retrieve excess strap 110. When the rotatingstructure 150 is free to rotate, the torque from the biasing member 155causes the spool to rotate in a direction that retrieves excess strap110 by wrapping the strap 110 around the spool.

To prevent the spool from rotating, a locking system 156 can beincluded. The locking system 156 can include an actuator 175 foroperation by a user, a rod 170, a lever 164 having a locking bar 160 androtatably coupled to axel 162, and a biasing member 166. The connectedlinkage of components that form the locking system 156 is attached tothe housing 105 by axel 162 and can be constructed of any suitablematerial such as a hard plastic, metal, or ceramic. Further, theactuator 175 can also be constructed of a hard rubber.

The rod 170 is movably coupled to the lever 164 via channel 163 disposedwithin the lever 164 and the locking bar 160 is rigidly fixed to one endof the lever 164. The biasing member 166 of the locking system 156 isbiased to move the locking system 156 into a locked configuration asshown in FIG. 2A. Thus, the locking system 156 will be unlocked andallow movement of the retractor 145 only when activated by the user.

A user can unlock the retractor 145 by depressing the actuator 175, thatwill cause a chain of reactions to unlock the retractor 145. Depressingthe actuator 175 will cause the rod 170 to move, forcing the lever 164to rotate on axel 162. In turn, the locking bar will be moved to aposition where the locking bar no longer engages the teeth 165 ofretractor 145, as shown in FIG. 2B. When the user releases the actuator175, the biasing member 166 will force the locking bar 160 into thelocked position where the retractor 145 cannot move the rigidly affixedlocking bar 160. With the locking bar 160 moved to the locked position,the biasing member 155 of the retractor 145 is prevented from causingthe spool to retract the strap 110. Furthermore, with the locking bar160 moved to the locked position, additional strap 110 is prevented frombeing released from the spool. Consequently, the locking bar 160 in thelocked position maintains a constant length of strap 110 that is outsideof the housing 105.

In order to change the length of the strap 110 that is outside thehousing 105, i.e. to either retrieve excess strap 110 or releaseadditional strap 110, a user can depress the actuator 175 to move thelocking bar 160 from the locked position. With the locking bar 160 inthe unlocked position, the rotating structure 150 can rotate in eitherdirection. Torque produced by the retractor biasing member 155 canrotate the spool and wind up portions of strap 110 that have been pulledout of the housing 105. Alternatively, with the locking bar 160 in theunlocked position and the spool able to rotate, a user can retrieveadditional strap 110 to lengthen the amount of strap 110 that is outsideof the housing 105. Thus, the retractor 145 allows a user to adjust thelength of the strap 110 by depressing the actuator 175 and manuallypulling on the strap 110 or allowing excess strap 110 to be retrieved bythe retractor 145.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the retractor 145 andlocking system 156 shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B are intended as merely onepossible example of a retractor mechanism with corresponding lockingmechanism. Retractor mechanisms with locking mechanism are well known inthe art and any suitable strap retractor system with a locking mechanismcan be used. For example, instead of a spring biased retractor, a handcranked retractor mechanism could be used. Similarly, the lockingarrangement shown is merely one possible example of a locking mechanismthat can be used with the invention. Other locking mechanisms are alsoacceptable. For example, a simple friction pad could also be engagedagainst rotating structure 150 to lock the strap 110 in place.

Turning to FIG. 3A, a portable carrying device 100 is shown in use. Theportable carrying device 100 is illustrated with the strap 110 extendedover and around the user's shoulder. Additionally, two bags 180 areshown supported by the rigid support arms 115. Thus, the entire weightof the portable carrying device 100 and the bags 180 is supported by theuser's shoulder, allowing the user to comfortably carry the bags 180while having the hands free to grasp other objects.

It should be noted that the invention is not limited to the particulararrangement as shown in FIG. 3A. For instance, excess strap, if needed,can be retrieved from the housing 105 to allow the user to place thestrap 110 around the user's chest. Furthermore, the portable carryingdevice 100 is not limited in the number of bags 180 or other articlesthat can be supported by the rigid support arms 115.

Further, in FIG. 3B the portable carrying device 100 is shown while notin use as being attached to the user's belt. The belt clip (shown inFIG. 1C) allows the portable carrying device 100 to be removablyattached to the user's belt, and thus can be carried while not in usewithout inconvenience to the user. In such an arrangement, the portablecarrying device 100 can be carried by the user on a daily basis for usewhenever needed.

One embodiment of a strap 410 that can be used with portable carryingdevice 100 is illustrated in FIGS. 4A-4C. FIGS. 4A and 4B depictmultiple securing devices 485 disposed along the length of the strap410. In FIG. 4A, the multiple securing devices 485 are rigid hookmembers 486. The rigid hook members 486 can be constructed of anysuitable material such as plastic, metal, ceramic and the like. Therigid hook members 486 can be used to support articles and areparticularly well suited for supporting bag handles, such as plastic baghandles.

In FIG. 4B, the multiple securing devices 485 include a flexiblematerial 487, of which one end is coupled, for example by stitching, tothe strap 410. The opposite end of the flexible material 487 can beprovided with a hook and loop fastener 489 that can allow the strapmaterial 487 to be releasably coupled to the strap 410. Similar to therigid hook members 486, the flexible material 487 can support articlessuch as bags with handles. Nevertheless, the flexible material 487 isparticularly well suited for supporting other objects without handlesthat can be secured by the flexible material 487, such as pens, keys,and the like. Accordingly, the invention is not limited to a strap thatincludes securing devices.

FIG. 4C depicts a portable carrying device 100 with strap 410 that issupporting multiple bags 180. In addition to the bags 180 beingsupported by rigid support arms 115, a bag 180 is also being supportedby a securing device 485. In this particular embodiment, the securingdevice 485 is a rigid hook member 486; nevertheless, the invention isnot limited in this regard as a flexible material 487 with a hook andloop faster can also be used. Furthermore, the strap 410 can includemultiple securing devices 485 located along the length of the strap 410.Additionally, the securing devices 485 located along the strap 410 caninclude a combination of hook members 486 and flexible material 487 witha hook and loop fastener 489.

An alternative embodiment of a portable carrying device is shown inFIGS. 5A and 5B. A portable carrying device 500 can have a housing 505with one or more recesses 508 for receiving rigid support arms 515 thathave a shape generally corresponding to the shape of the recess 508.Similar to other embodiments, the housing 505 and rigid support arms 515can be constructed of a hard plastic, metal, ceramic, and the like.

In FIG. 5A, the rigid support arms 515 are in a compacted position andare firmly secured within the recess 508 of housing 505. The rigidsupport arms 515 can be secured in the compacted position with a rigidsupport arm securing member 512. In one arrangement as shown in FIG. 5B,the rigid support arm securing member 512 can include a detent ball 512constructed of a metal, plastic, or ceramic and located on the rigidsupport arms 515. The detent ball 512 can be biased to extend outwardfrom the rigid support arms 515, but can be depressed to not protrudebeyond the outer surface 535 of the rigid support arms 515. Inoperation, with biased detent ball 512 depressed, the rigid support arms515 can slide into the housing 505. At a location within the housing105, the detent ball 512 can extend into a corresponding detent (notshow) to secure the rigid support arms 515 in the compacted position.The rigid support arms 515 can be slid to the extended position bypulling on the rigid support arms 515 with sufficient force to overcomethe bias of the detent ball 512.

Nevertheless, it should be noted that the rigid support arms 515 can besecured within the housing 505 and in a compacted position with otherrigid support arm securing members as is known in the arts. In oneexample of such a locking arrangement (not shown), the rigid supportarms 515 can be secured in a compacted position using locking structureslocated within the housing 505 and having controls on the outside of thehousing 505. Notably, when the device 500 is in its compactedconfiguration, the housing outer surface 540 and the rigid support armouter surface 535 can form a surface that is substantially free ofprojections.

The rigid support arms 515 can be slidably mounted within or on aportion of the housing 505. While FIGS. 5A and 5B show the rigid supportarms 515 slidably mounted within channels 550, the invention is notlimited in this regard as any suitable slidable mount, such as a tongueand a groove, can be used. The portable carrying device 500 can betransformed from a compacted configuration, as shown in FIG. 5A, to anextended configuration, as shown in FIG. 5B by sliding the rigid supportarms 515 from a compacted position to an extended position.

In the extended position, articles can be hung or placed on the rigidsupport arms 515. For example, bag handles can be slid through gap 560between the two rigid support arms 515 and draped around each respectiverigid support arm 515. Additionally, although the rigid support arms 515are slidably mounted within channels 550, the rigid support arms 515 canpivot slightly to increase size of the gap 560 and allow for largerobjects to be draped around the rigid support arms 515. When theportable carrying device 500 is not in use, the rigid support arms 515can be returned to the compacted position for storage.

Another embodiment of a portable carrying device is illustrated in FIG.6A. The portable carrying device 600 includes a strap 610, a coupler 620and corresponding mating structure 625 located on housing 605. Theportable carrying device 600 also includes rigid support arms 615 a forsupporting one or more objects. Notably, the rigid support arms 615 ainclude notched structures 617 that can be used to separate the handlesof bags to be carried. Such notched structures 617 allow the supportedarticles to be strategically placed on the support arms 615 a to achievea balanced load. Similar to the other embodiments of a portable carryingdevice, the components of portable carrying device 600 can beconstructed of any suitable materials as discussed previously.

The rigid support arms 615 a can be movably coupled on the interior ofthe housing 605 via a coupling, such as an axel, hinge, pivot, and thelike. The rigid support arms 615 a can be moved into recess 630 to allowthe rigid support arms 615 a to be moved to a compact position, as shownby the dotted arrows. The rigid support arms 615 a can be disposed inrecess 630 as the rigid support arm 615 a has a corresponding shape torecess 630. When the rigid support arm 615 a is disposed in recess 630,the outer surface 635 of the rigid support arm 615 a can besubstantially continuous with the housing 605 outer surface 640. In sucha configuration, the rigid support arm 615 a and the housing 605 form acombined outer surface that is substantially free of projections.Additionally, the rigid support arms 615 a can include a tab 619 forgripping when the rigid support arms 615 a are disposed within therecess 630.

FIG. 6A also illustrates another rigid support arm 615 b that isrotatably mounted to the housing 605 about a first axis of rotation andcan be constructed of a hard plastic, metal, ceramic, and the like. Therigid support arm 615 b includes at least one clamping member 650configured for clamping an article to the rigid support arm 615 b. Theclamping member 650 can be pivotally coupled to the rigid support arm615 b about a second axis of rotation having a different orientationfrom the first axis of rotation, as shown. Additionally, the clampingmember 650 can be coupled to the rigid support arm 615 b with a ratchetmechanism 660 having a release 662. As is known in the arts, a ratchetmechanism can allow rotation in one direction while preventing rotationin the opposite direction. In operation, the ratchet mechanism's release662 can be moved to allow the clamping member 650 to be opened to allowbag handles to be draped over the clamping member 650. The release 662can be moved again to pivot the clamping member 650 to a clampedposition, as shown in FIG. 6A. In this position, the ratchet mechanism660 can prevent the clamping member 650 from opening, even when heavyobjects are hung from the clamping member 650.

It should be noted that the invention is not limited to having a ratchetmechanism 660 for controlling the pivoting of the clamping member 650.For instance, a spiral spring (not shown) can be located on the axis ofcoupling the clamping member 650 to the rigid support arm 615 b and canproduce a torque in the direction of pivoting the clamping member 650 toa clamped position. The tension provided by the spiral spring ispreferably sufficient to pivot the clamping member 650 to a clampedposition while still allowing a user to pivot the clamping member 650 toan open position for the introduction of articles to carry. Still, thespiral spring and the ratchet mechanism 660 are not essential and theinvention is not limited in this regard.

The rigid support arm 615 b can also include ridges 655 for separatingarticles to be carried and a locking member 665 for locking the clampingmember 650 to the rigid support arm 615 b. The ridges 655 can be formedof the same material as the support arm 615 b or can be formed as a hardrubber for improved gripping. In operation, a user can place an article,preferably the handle of an article, on the clamping member 650 andpivot the clamping member 650 to the clamped position. The user can thenrotate the rigid support arm 615 b by applying a torque to the handle670 in the direction of desired rotation. Rotating the rigid support arm615 b will cause the article to become progressively wrapped around therigid support arm 615 b to ensure a secure arrangement for carrying. Anadvantage of this feature is that a user is not required to manipulateloop handles of cloth or plastic bags. Instead, a user can simply drapethe top of the bag on the clamping member and rotate the rigid supportarm 615 b until the bag is secured.

Additionally, a ratchet mechanism 675, can be included in housing 605 atthe junction of rotatably coupling the rigid support arm 615 b to thehousing 605. As is known in the arts, the ratchet mechanism 675 canallow rotation of the rigid support arm 615 b in one direction andprevent rotation in the opposite direction. Thus, once an article hasbeen progressively wrapped around the rigid support arm 615 b, theratchet mechanism 675 can prevent unintentional unwrapping of thearticle. The ratchet mechanism 675 not only cooperates with the rigidsupport arm 615 b to provide a stable structure for carrying an article,the ratchet mechanism 675 also provides a security feature that preventsan article from being unknowingly removed from the rigid support arm 615b. The ratchet mechanism 675 can be operated by a control device, suchas button 680, that can be depressed to change the direction ofratcheted rotation of the rigid support arm 615 b.

FIG. 6B shows another embodiment of the portable carrying device 600. Inthis embodiment, the rigid support arm 615 b can be coupled to aremovable mounting structure 685 that can allow the rigid support arm615 b to be removed from housing 605. Any suitable coupling arrangementcan be used for this purpose. For example, one or more grooves 687 canbe disposed within one or more faces 689 of the housing 605 foraccepting one or more rails 690 of the removable mounting structure 685.Preferably, the housing 605 can have two grooves 687 disposed inopposing faces of the housing 605 and the removable mounting structure685 can have two rails 690 for sliding along the grooves 687.

To ensure that the removable mounting structure 685 is secured to thehousing 605 and cannot be inadvertently removed from the housing 605,the length of the grooves 687 and the corresponding rails 690 can beslightly shorter than the length of the housing face 689. In such anarrangement, the removable mounting structure 685 can be removed fromthe grooves 687 by sliding the removable mounting structure 685 out ofthe grooves 687.

The removable mounting structure 685 can be constructed of a hardplastic, rubber, and/or metal that can allow for slight bending withoutdeformation. Additionally, its should be noted that the removablemounting structure 685 can be mounted to the housing 605 in a variety ofother arrangements that are known in the art. For example, the removablemounting structure 685 can be mounted to the housing 605 with bolt andnut fasteners, clips, and other suitable structures that provide for aremovable mounting.

In another embodiment, rigid support arm 700 is shown in FIGS. 7A-7C.The rigid support arm 700 is shown separate from a housing, but thoseskilled in the art will readily understand the rigid support arm 700 canbe rotatably mounted to a suitable portable carrying device in a mannersimilar to the mounting of rigid support arm 615 b, as shown in FIG. 6A.As also similar to the rigid support arm 615 b, the rigid support arm700 can be formed of a suitable hard plastic, metal, ceramic, and thelike.

The rigid support arm 700 can include a clamping member 710 that ispivotally coupled to the rigid support arm 700 and a spiral spring 720mounted at the point of coupling. The spiral spring 720 can produce atorque in the direction of pivoting the clamping member 710 to a clampedposition, as shown in FIG. 7B. The clamping member 710 can also bepivoted to an open position as shown in FIG. 7A.

Turning to FIG. 7C, a cross-section taken along lines 7C-7C of the rigidsupport arm 700 is shown. This perspective shows that a substantialportion of the clamping member 710 is disposed within an elongatedcavity 730 of the rigid support arm 700 when in clamped position.Nevertheless, this perspective also illustrates that there is unoccupiedspace for a bag handle to be clamped therein. Additionally, an axel 735is shown as the movable coupling; however, the invention is not limitedin this regard as any suitable movable coupling, such as a ratchetedcoupling, can be used.

As an additional form of security, a ring member 740 can be includedwith the rigid support arm 700. The ring member 740 can slide along aportion of the rigid support arm 700 and is prevented from being removedfrom the rigid support arm 700 by raised structures 750. The ring member740 can be positioned to allow the clamping member 710 to pivot to anopen position as shown in FIG. 7A. As shown in FIG. 7B, the ring member740 can be positioned to lock the clamping member 710 in clampedposition and prevent unintentional opening of the clamping member 710.Additionally, the ring member 740 can be formed of any suitablematerial, such as a hard plastic, metal, ceramic, rubber, and the like.

Another embodiment of the portable carrying device is shown in FIG. 8Aand FIG. 8B. Similar to the other embodiments discussed above, theportable carrying device 800 can include a strap coupled to a retractor.In another similarity to the other embodiments of the portable carryingdevice, the housing 805 and the rigid support arms 815 a and 815 b canbe constructed of a hard plastic, metal, ceramic, and the like. Theportable carrying device 800 is shown in FIG. 8A in a compactedconfiguration and shown in FIG. 8B in an extended configuration.

In FIG. 8A, dotted lines are used to illustrate channels 820 in whichrigid support arms 815 a are slidably mounted. The rigid support arms815 a are secured to the channels 820 a via an end member 825 a that hasdimensions slightly larger than the dimensions of the channel 820 a sothat the rigid support arms 815 a cannot be inadvertently removed fromthe channel 820 a. In FIG. 8B, the rigid support arms 815 a have beenslid along channels 820 a to an extended position that is suitable forcarrying multiple objects. Rigid support arm 815 b is also shown in anextended position. Similar to the channels 820 a in which rigid supportarms 815 a are slidably mounted, rigid support arm 815 b can also beslidably mounted in channels 820 b and secured with end member 825 b.

FIG. 8C shows a side view of FIG. 8B taken from a perspective of line8C-8C and illustrates a portion of rigid support arm 815 a incross-section and rigid support arm 815 b in an extended position. Rigidsupport arm 815 b is shown with extension member 855 slidably mounted inchannel 820 b and partially extended from housing 805. The remainingportion of extension member 855 is shown with dotted lines to indicateits position along channel 820 b within the housing 805. The channel 820b is shown above channel 820 a; however, the invention is not limited inthis regard as the placement of the channel 820 a and 820 b can bealternated without changing the operation of the portable carryingdevice 800. Further it should be noted that the dimensions of rigidsupport arm 815 b correspond to the dimensions of surface 850 of housing805 so that the rigid support arm 815 b and housing 805 for a continuoussurface that is substantially free of projections in the compactconfiguration.

The rigid support arms 815 a and 815 b can be used independently of eachother and in different combinations. For example, a user can carrymultiple objects with only rigid support arm 815 b. Alternatively, auser may desire to carry multiple objects utilizing all the rigidsupport arms simultaneously. Thus, the use of portable carrying device800 is not limited to any particular arrangement. Furthermore, it shouldbe noted that the number of rigid support arms 815 a and 815 b is notlimited as the invention is considered to cover multiple arrangements.For example, a rigid support arm can be included on the opposite side ofthe housing 805 from rigid support arm 815 b. Additionally, rigidsupport arms 815 a and 815 b can also include multiple rigid supportarms along side of the housing 805 instead of the single rigid supportarms shown.

Returning to FIG. 8A, the portable carrying device 800 is shown in acompacted configuration where the rigid support arms 815 a and 815 bmeet to form an outer continuous surface that is substantially free ofprojections. FIG. 8A illustrates that the rigid support arm 815 b isslightly wider than the width of the housing 805 so that the edge 840 ofrigid support arm 815 b is inline with the surface 845 of rigid supportarm 815 a to form the continuous surface that is substantially free ofprojections. Nevertheless, the invention is not limited in this regardas the rigid support arm 815 b can be the same shape and dimensions asthe shape and dimensions of the housing 805. Thus, the rigid support armcan provide a face of the housing 805 that can be extended to be used asrigid support arm 815 b.

Another embodiment of the portable carrying device 900 is shown in FIG.9A and FIG. 9B. FIG. 9A illustrates the portable carrying device 900with rigid support arms 915 in an extended position that can be used forcarrying objects; FIG. 9B illustrates the portable carrying device 900with rigid support arms 915 in a compacted position that can beadvantageous for storing the portable carrying device 900.

Portable carrying device 900 can include one or more channels 912 forslidably mounting extension members 920 to the housing 905. Theextension members 920 can be secured to the channels 912 via an endmember 930 that has dimensions slightly larger than the dimensions ofthe channel 912 so that the extension members 920 cannot beinadvertently removed from the channel 912. The end member 930 can beconfigured to be removed to allow the extension members 920 and therigid support arms 915 to be removed from the housing 905 formaintenance and other purposes. Additionally, the end member 930 caninclude a rough outer surface, such as multiple ridges, that can be usedfor gripping by a user.

The portable carrying device 900 can also include a retractor (notshown) for regulating the length of the strap 910. One skilled in theart will readily understand that, in this arrangement, the retractor canbe located slightly to one side of channels 912 so as to not interferewith the operation of the channels 912 or the operation of theretractor. Furthermore, one skilled in the art would readily understandthat the channels 912 can be displaced from a central area of thehousing 905 without materially altering the operation of the portablecarrying device 900. Thus, the invention is not limited with regard tothe placement of the retractor or the placement of the channels 912.

In this arrangement, the housing 905 can have one or more recesses 940for receiving the rigid support arms 915. The rigid support arms 915 canhave a shape that corresponds to the shape of the recess 940. Thus, whenthe rigid support arms 915 are in the compacted configuration, the outersurface 950 of the rigid support arms 915 can be substantiallycontinuous with the housing outer surface 955 to form a combined outersurface that is substantially free of projections.

Furthermore, the rigid support arms 915 can be secured to the housing905 by internal rigid support arm securing members 962 that hook to oneor more lock structures 960. The internal rigid support arm securingmembers 962 can be operated by depressing one or more buttons 965 andcausing the rigid support arm securing members 962 to pivot, therebyreleasing the lock structures 960. When released, the rigid support arms915 can be moved from the compacted configuration of FIG. 9B to theextended configuration of 9A. Additionally, the internal rigid supportarm securing members 962 can be biased to a pivot to a hook position,thereby hooking the lock structures 960 when the rigid support arms 915are slid to the compacted configuration. It should be noted that theinvention is not limited in this regard as the rigid support arms can besecured the housing 905 in a variety of other arrangements that areknown in the art.

While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustratedand described, it will be clear that the invention is not so limited.Numerous modifications, changes, variations, substitutions andequivalents will occur to those skilled in the art without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the present invention as described in theclaims.

1. A portable carrying device, comprising: a housing; an elongatedflexible strap extendable from said housing; and at least one rigidsupport arm attached to said housing and configured for supporting anarticle to be carried.
 2. The portable carrying device according toclaim 1, further comprising: a coupler disposed on a first end of saidelongated flexible strap; a mating structure disposed on a portion ofsaid housing for releasably securing said coupler.
 3. The portablecarrying device according to claim 2, wherein a second end of saidelongated flexible strap is secured within said housing.
 4. The portablecarrying device according to claim 1, wherein said rigid support arm ismovably attached to said housing.
 5. The portable carrying deviceaccording to claim 4, wherein said rigid support arm is movable from afirst position in which said rigid support arm is compactly storedrelative to said housing, to a second position in which said rigidsupport arm is at least partially extended away from said housing. 6.The portable carrying device according to claim 4, wherein said rigidsupport arm is pivotally mounted to said housing.
 7. The portablecarrying device according to claim 4, wherein said rigid support arm isslidably mounted to said housing.
 8. The portable carrying deviceaccording to claim 4, wherein said housing has at least one recess forreceiving said rigid support arm.
 9. The portable carrying deviceaccording to claim 8, wherein said rigid support arm has a shapecorresponding to said recess.
 10. The portable carrying device accordingto claim 9, wherein at least one outer surface of said rigid support armis substantially continuous with a housing outer surface when said rigidsupport arm is disposed within said recess, whereby said rigid supportarm and said housing form a combined outer surface that is substantiallyfree of projections.
 11. The portable carrying device according to claim1, wherein a second end of said elongated flexible strap is secured to aretractor disposed within said housing.
 12. The portable carrying deviceaccording to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of securing devicesdisposed along a length of said elongated flexible strap.
 13. Theportable carrying device according to claim 12, wherein said securingdevices are rigid hook members.
 14. The portable carrying deviceaccording to claim 12, wherein said securing devices are comprised of aflexible strap material, and at least a portion of said strap materialis attached to said elongated flexible strap with a hook and loopfastener.
 15. The portable carrying device according to claim 1, whereinsaid rigid support arm is rotatably mounted to said housing about afirst axis of rotation and has at least one clamping member configuredfor clamping an article to said rigid support arm.
 16. The portablecarrying device according to claim 15, wherein said clamping member ispivotable about a second axis having an orientation different from saidfirst axis.
 17. The portable carrying device according to claim 15,wherein said rigid support arm is rotatably coupled to a ratchetmechanism.
 18. The portable carrying device according to clam 16,wherein said clamping member is pivotally coupled to a ratchetmechanism.
 19. The portable carrying device according claim 1, whereinsaid at least one rigid support arm is removable from said housing. 20.The portable carrying device according to claim 1, further comprising atleast one rigid support arm securing member.
 21. The portable carryingdevice according to claim 1, wherein said elongated flexible strapincludes a cushioning member.
 22. The portable carrying device accordingto claim 19, wherein said cushioning member is configured for removablyattaching to said at least one rigid support arm.
 23. The portablecarrying device according to claim 1, further comprising a belt clip.24. The portable carrying device according to claim 1, wherein an outersurface of at least a first one of said rigid support arms form acontinuous surface with at least a second one of said rigid supportarms, said outer surface substantially free of projections when saidrigid support arms are in a compact position.
 25. A portable carryingdevice, comprising: a housing; an elongated flexible strap retractablyextendable from within said housing; a coupler disposed on a first endof said elongated flexible strap; a mating structure disposed on aportion of said housing for releasably securing said coupler; and atleast one rigid support arm movably attached to said housing andconfigured for supporting an article to be carried.
 26. A portablecarrying device, comprising: a housing; an elongated flexible strapretractably extendable from within said housing; a coupler disposed on afirst end of said elongated flexible strap; a mating structure disposedon a portion of said housing for releasably securing said coupler; andat least one rigid support arm movably attached to said housing andconfigured for supporting an article to be carried, said rigid supportarm movable from a first position in which said rigid support arm iscompactly stored relative to said housing, to a second position in whichsaid rigid support arm is at least partially extended away from saidhousing for receiving an article to be carried.